Single Idea 14575

[catalogued under 26. Natural Theory / D. Laws of Nature / 7. Strictness of Laws]

Full Idea

The most persuasive view of a 'ceteris paribus' clause is that the best non-trivially true account that we can give of their meaning is that they indicate that the conditional has dispositional force only.

Clarification

'Ceteris paribus' is Latin for 'all things being equal'

Gist of Idea

A 'ceteris paribus' clause implies that a conditional only has dispositional force

Source

S.Mumford/R.Lill Anjum (Getting Causes from Powers [2011], 6.8)

Book Reference

Anjum,R.J./Mumford,S.: 'Getting Causes from Powers' [OUP 2011], p.154


A Reaction

[They cite Lipton 1999] As a general fan of dispositions (as are Mumford and Lill Anjum), this sounds right. If you then add that virtually every event in nature needs a ceteris paribus clause (see N. Cartwright), the whole thing becomes dispositional.